Drown
by doom-cookie69
Summary: There's a new girl at the Wammy house- of course, no one is aware that she's a girl. Aron is best friends with Mello, and as the years go by, their relationship becomes more complicated. See for yourself- I'm bad at summaries. Mello X OC
1. New girl

I can't believe you're wearing that hot jacket in the middle of summer..." Roger muttered, trying to change the topic of conversation, which was about why I was there. "Why don't you take it off?"  
I clenched the balled-up extra length of sleeves in my small hands and shook my head. He sighed. Well then, let's pick a name for you, shall we?"  
cocking my head to the side, I gave him a questioning look through my light blond hair that was covering my icy blue eyes.  
"Didn't I tell you?"  
I shook my head.  
"Oh. Well, in that case, I'll tell you now." Dur, do you think? Roger was a kind old man, really, but he didn't have to give me such a pitiful look and treat me as though I was four... Even though I was.  
"You see, every child at this orphanage has a nickname that sounds like a average name... Most of the time. Usually, the first letter of their nickname is the same as the one from their real name. Do you understand?"  
I looked at him like he was stupid, but nodded my head anyway.  
"Would you like to pick out your own nickname?"  
Again, duh. I wasn't going to let some old balding guy pick out my name. Gross. "Aron..." I muttered, pulling the hood further over my eyes.  
"Alright then, Aron, I'll show you to your room," he said, standing up and motioning for me to follow him.

I followed silently behind him, hiding myself as well as i could from the other children's stares. I had both my hands wrapped around the strap from my book bag that was way too large for me on my shoulder, keeping my eyes on Roger's heels as I walked.  
"Here you are, Aron. Your room," Roger said slightly cheerily, opening a door to a red room with plain furniture and a bunk bed.  
I gazed at the bed, then back at Roger. Bed, Roger, bed, Roger. I didn't want a roommate. I didn't even get along with /myself, let alone other people. Roger noticed my distress and smiled.  
"Don't worry, child, it's your room alone. But I must apologize, this is not the girl's hall, but all the rooms there were taken. So, You'll be in a boy's dorm by yourself. Does that bother you?"  
I shook my head. Actually, this is probably the happiest I've ever been in the four years I've lived. _No girls. No roommates. No girl roommates. Hallelujah.  
_"Now, Aron, before I go, is there anything you need?"  
"Um... actually, Is there... Anybody who could cut my hair?" I asked shyly, pulling my hood off to reveal hair that had been carelessly chopped off a bit above my shoulders. Roger stared at my hair.  
"they didn't even care to pay to get my hair cut," I murmured, avoiding Roger's gaze by staring out the window of my room. I don't really sound like I'm four, do I? My speech is fine, and I'm pretty smart. Then again, that's why I was at this orphanage, and not any of the others.  
"Of course. Would you be able to find your way back to your room afterwards?"  
I nodded, tossed my bag into the room, and pulled my hood up.  
"Alright then, follow me."

I sat on the top bunk, my legs dangling over the side, running my fingers through my boyishly cut hair repeatedly. _Argh. I hate it here already._

I bit the small remains of the cherry sucker and ran outside, throwing the stick in the garbage as I went.

It had been four years since I had came to the orphanage. I would leave completely, if these people would have noticed I was a girl. But they didn't. Which was completely understandable, because nothing about me screamed _feminine._ Short hair, my lips were thick, but they kind of looked like Marilyn Manson's, and my large green eyes and round nose didn't really make any difference seeing as I was still eight. I wore baggy boys clothes, and was always playing sports, or kicking someone's butt at video games. My table manners were rude enough to make me come across as a rude little boy. I ate with my hand the majority of the time, and never really wiped my face until I was finished eating. I also burped extremely loud and then laughed about it when some of the kids stared at me.  
But apparently I was a popular boy. Everyone seemed to know my name. Girls stared at me with those dreamy eyes. Guys asked me how I'm able to get them to do that... to which I always reply with 'Dress like the opposite sex. And make sure you act like it, too.' They always give me a weird look then walk away. Anyway, back to the situation at hand...

"Hey! Sorry I'm late, I couldn't find my left shoe..."  
"Why your left shoe?" A brunette boy with shoulder-length hair asked. Weren't the kid's here supposed to be smart or something? I felt suddenly quite stupid, being one rank behind this kid.  
"Cause Santa only eats the lefties. I don't know! _Geeze._ Now are we going to play soccer, or what?"  
"Um... Actually, we were thinking, there's a new kid, and since we always end up fighting over you, we'd let him replace you for today," a tween boy with dirty blond hair piped up.  
"Oh, whatever. I'll just go see who wants to get their tail whipped at video games or something," I said turning around, crashing into the blond boy dressed in all black.  
"Mello? Since when are you out here?"  
"I was looking for you."  
"Oh... Well, come on, then!" I said twisting him around by the shoulders and pushing him forward.  
"Ow!"  
"Ch, wuss."


	2. Boobs

"When do you think they'll find out

"When do you think they'll find out?" Mello asked me, plopping down on a couch in the empty lounge and pulling out a chocolate bar from God-knows-where.  
"Well, it'll only be a few years... Maybe two or three... Hopefully four," I sighed, jumping over the back of the couch and landing about two feet from him.  
"Why do you want it to be four?" He raised a eyebrow.  
"Are you kidding me? What do you think everyone will say? I'll have to leave!" I exclaimed, throwing my hands in the air.  
"It won't be that bad."  
"Oh, really? You know how they bother you about looking a bit feminine? Take that, and multiply it by a hundred," I replied bluntly.

--

"Oh, god... no..."  
I was eleven by this time. You see, what I was so worried about, was my reflection in my full-length mirror.  
"See?" Mello muttered, sitting on the bottom bunk in my room, with the usual chocolate bar in hand.  
"No... This isn't cool!" I stared at my reflection.  
Let me explain. I wasn't really one to look in the mirror much, so I never really noticed when anything changed. I couldn't tell if I had a pimple, which I only had once or twice, thank God, (I'm still female, you know) and I never really looked at the clothes I was picking out. And I definitely couldn't tell when anything was...erm... _developing,_ let's say.  
"Crap..." I was getting boobs. And girlie hips, too.  
I wore a sports bra, thank goodness, but... Under my black pajama tank top, which was kind of tight, I saw them.  
"How did I not notice these?!" I flailed my arms into the air.  
"No Idea. I just noticed them myself. And I'm you're roommate."  
He was right. You see, It was true, when I first came I had this room to myself. And it probably would have stayed that way, too, if I hadn't befriended Mello. Soon, we became very close. I know what you're thinking, and you're wrong. We were only friends. _Friends._ Nothing more. Matt was pretty close to me, too. But Mello was, indeed, my best bud. anyway, Mello used to room with Near. Whom he _loathed_, by the way. So, knowing I had a extra bunk in my room, we agreed to ask Roger to let him room with me. Near didn't really care. He never did. I'm just glad that Roger knew we weren't going to do anything-ahem, I think you know what I mean by that- even when we were older. He had doubts, for sure, but we convinced him. Mello even stayed out of trouble for a week!! Ha, I kind of had to help with that. And, yes, in case you're wondering, Mello is the only other kid that knows I'm female. Well, him, and L... Who, technically didn't really reside there anymore, but he did visit. But that's completely off topic.  
"Ugh. I hope they don't get much bigger..." Mello stayed silent. My body stiffened, and I turned around to look at him, a death-threat ready to send towards him.  
Instead, I found him sitting there silently, spacing out and staring at the rising sun through the window that was starting to have ivy creep onto it.  
"Mello?" His head snapped back and he gave me a questioning look.  
He gave me a apologetic look. I just smiled then turned back to the mirror, glaring daggers at the reflection of my forming breasts. Damn.


	3. Cupcakes make for good ammo

"Hey! Shut up, or I'll kick the shit outta you!" Mello roared at the boy whom he was holding by the collar.  
"Mello, stop," I said quietly, softly grabbing the fist he had pulled back, ready to knock the boy's lights out.  
Yep. Another time-skip. Not by much. I was almost twelve, and already, my life had ended. I was kicked out of all of the boy's games. Sports, video games, foosball... everything.  
The girls didn't let me play, the very few times they actually did anything other than gush over boys and the newest fashion. Gag.  
Mello let the boy go and pushed him away, turning back to me.  
"Aron, he was making fun of you! Why didn't you do anything?!"  
"I just didn't want to! And it wasn't about you, so why'd you butt in?!" My voice cracked. I've told him time and again to leave the kids who bother me alone, unless it's actually serious, to which I can usually kick the kid's ass easily. I had muscles. Not those she-hulk muscles, but muscles none the less.  
"Because he was making fun of you, and besides, you usually beat the shit out of the twerps who bother me," he said, slightly smiling towards the end. I couldn't help but grin back.  
"Whatever, man. Let's just go eat. I'm fuckin' starvin'..."  
"M'kay."  
Mello... was... kind of like... My nonconforming superhero. He was always there when someone said something about me actually being female, which was sadly more obvious now, my bra size already being a B, and my hips a bit curvier than before.

As we wound our way through the cafeteria, we finally came our usual table, being next to the trash cans. Of course. It was the one table in the whole place that wobbled.  
It was just the three of us sitting there. Me, Mello, and Matt. Sitting there, it was like having a neon orange and green sign floating over us, reading, "**_REJECT TABLE! FEEL FREE TO THROW FOOD!!_**" and making that annoyingly loud buzzing sound that most old hotel "Open" signs do. You know the sound.  
I was sitting there scarfing down a ham sandwich, Mello was eating the shit out of chocolate pudding and a large slice of chocolate cake, and Matt was quickly throwing fries into his mouth whenever he could get a free hand from the game he was playing this time.  
Finished in under a minute (I'm just that good) I leaned back in my seat and stared at the invisible sign that lingered over our heads. Damn those Hollister-clone space aliens. Damn them to hell.  
I was yanked out of my daze my a cupcake hitting me. I'll give you three tries to guess where?  
Got it yet?  
I'll tell you anyway.  
Right between my boobs. I jerked my head up, easily spotting the blond girl who whipped around in her seat. Funny, I never thought someone that skinny and..well...girlie-for lack of a better word- could have aim that good (Or even get into a orphanage for /smart/ people, either...). Or she was trying for my face but It just happened to land on my chest. Whatever.  
She wasn't going to look back at me, I knew, so I grabbed the cupcake from the spot on my lap where it had landed, and headed over towards her.

Miss Kara slapped me. She was usually the one who took care of punishment for the females.  
"How could you do that?! You punched the girl out of nowhere and then shoved a cupcake onto her mouth! You could have choked her, do you know that?"  
I could have. I wanted to. But I just settled on shoving it into her mouth and quitting. After I made her nose bleed, of course. :)  
"Why did you do that?"  
"She threw the cupcake at me," I said calmly, pulling the bottom of my shirt a bit and pointing to the glob of icing that rested on my chest.  
"It was only a cupcake! it wouldn't harm anybody!"  
"Oh, really? What if I was allergic to something in the mix? What if it had touched my skin? Did you ever think that the cupcake could have _/killed me_, too?"  
"But it didn't kill you!"  
"And it didn't kill her, either, did it?!"  
"You could have choked her!"  
"She could have poisoned me!"  
"But she di-"  
"Stop! Will you just give me my punishment already?!"  
"Fine. I'll let you off the hook. But, if you get into any more fights this month, you'll be transferred into the girl's dorm," She stated, a smirk on her face.  
_Shit! It was only the beginning of the month!_  
"And I'm letting you off easily because you're birthday's tomorrow."  
"Holy crap! I forgot!" I exclaimed, standing up. "Uh... Can I go now?" I asked when I realized what I had just said.  
She just nodded and turned to sit back down at her desk.  
I exited the room and stared at Mello, who was leaning against the wall to the right of the door. Like always.  
"So?"  
"Argh! If I get into another fight this month, I'll be sent to the girl's dorm! I would have gotten worse, but-" I cut myself short. I didn't want anyone to be reminded of my birthday. Especially Mello. He usually goes out of his way to get me a kick ass birthday gift, which, usually, was way to much for me to handle. I usually didn't even want anything.  
"But what?"  
"Uh... You know, I forgot!" I smiled at him as he just gave me that you're-a-idiot-but-you're-_my_-idiot grin. He was always so different around me.


	4. Birthdays and Guitar strings

"When do you think they'll find out

Okay! So. There's a product I mentioned in this chapter, a bracelet made from Guitar strings, from . I'd also like to note, they don't sell any from Mick Thomson. But it's my story. :P so nyeeehhh.

I sat up in bed and yawned. After violently shaking my head (it's how I wake myself up...) I stood up and stared at Mello, who was sitting on the other side of the room, asleep.  
"Mello..." Still asleep.

"Mello," I said, loud enough to wake most people up.  
_Whaaaaatever._ I pulled on a pair of baggy pants over my usual boxers and a slipknot shirt over my tank top, then grabbed my black-and-purple bathroom bag and headed out the door.  
Actually, having everyone know I was a girl now wasn't all that bad. I didn't have to sneak into the boy's shower. I could just go to the girl's bathrooms now. Sure, it was a bit of a longer walk, but not by much. Even if it was, I still wouldn't care.  
I gave a last glance at Mello, then headed out the door.

I walked back into the room and walked over to Mello, who was still in the floor, asleep.  
_Hm... This should be fun, _I thought, smirking.  
I leaned over, right into Mellos face and suppressed a laugh as I violently shook my wet hair.  
Mellos eyes widened. "What the fuck?!" He pushed me away, wiping the water off of his face. I burst out laughing. He's so funny looking when he's mad and confused. :)  
I stopped laughing and just stood there, smiling at him.  
"Mornin', blondie!"  
"I could say the same to you. But not as cheerily," he retorted, standing up.  
"So... Why were you sleeping on the floor?"  
"I wouldn't have fallen asleep if I weren't so interested in the dream you were muttering about and had woke you up. Something about a evil white monkey stealing your banana split... And a giant pickle."  
"They teamed up! It was _my_ ice cream!"  
"Right... Anyway, the reason I was on the floor was that I wanted to give you this as soon as you woke up," He said, grabbing a small black box wrapped in a crimson bow that I apparently failed to notice before.  
"Damn. You remembered."  
"No shit, really? Don't argue, just take the damn gift," he said sternly, shoving the box into my hands.  
"Fine."  
I pulled the ribbon off and opened the box to see a bracelet made from guitar strings. I stared at it then looked at Mello.  
"I've seen these... Whose guitar are they from?"  
Mello smiled. "Mick Thomson."  
My jaw dropped as I set the box on the bed and glomped Mello, slightly squealing.  
"Homigawd Mello you really shouldn't have got this for me I love it thank you sooooo much!" I said, mushing it all into one sentence and still grasping onto Mello.  
"Man! Mick Thomson... The lead guitarist from slipknot!" I exclaimed, letting Mello go and grabbing the bracelet and shoving it twoards him, indicating for him to help me put it on.  
It snapped closed, and I lifted my forearm into the air slightly, examining the bracelet, grinning.  
Mello grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the room.  
"Where're you taking me?"  
"Matt's waiting in the main room for us!"  
"Damn it to hell, he remembered too?"  
Mello stopped and looked back at me. "Nope. I had to remind him," he went back to dragging me.  
"...Damn you..."

"Matt!" Mello called to our friend who was bent over on the couch, playing his usual video games. He lifted his head up and smiled at us.  
"Happy birthday, Aron!"  
I playfully stuck up my middle finger. "Sit and twist."  
"Gee, thanks."  
"You're welcome," I said with a malicious grin plastered on my face.  
"So, Matt, you think you can top my gift?" Mello said with a you-can't-beat-me smile.  
"Dunno. Let's see what Aron thinks," Matt replied with a grin, pulling a dark purple bag from behind the couch and handing it to me.  
"Holy hell!" I exclaimed as I examined the single drumstick in the glass case.  
"Rick Allen signed this... How did you get it?" I looked at him.  
"I know people," he said with a goofy grin. I laughed.  
"Right. Anyway, come back to our room to help me figure out where to put it!"  
"'Kay."

"Perfect," I said as I stepped back, admiring the glass case above the dresser mirror.  
There was a know at the door.  
"Don't tell me more people remembered..." I muttered as I walked over to the door, opening it.  
"Near!"  
"Happy birthday, Aron," Near said with a slight smile, sitting on the floor in that strange position, with one leg pulled up to his chest. He handed me a white bag filled with white packing paper. (you know the kind, the stuff people put in bags for presents and whatnot?)  
Grinning, I pulled out a pair of Jack Skellington and Sally the Rag Doll dolls. My grin grew as I noticed the tag. /_Near Co./_  
"You made these yourself?"  
Near nodded. "They're pose-able, too."  
I dropped down and glomped Near. He only had a little ways to fall... Which was probably the reason he was sitting in my doorway, anyway...  
As I got off of him and sat next to him in that weird M-shape like I always do, I could feel Mello glaring at Near from inside. I was ready to ignore him - I never had time to hang out with Near, seeing as Mello hated his guts - but Near spoke up.  
"I should go, I don't want to ruin anyone's time, so, goodbye, Aron," he said in his usual monotone voice, standing up.  
I jumped up one last time and hugged him.  
"Thank you, Near."  
He just nodded his head and walked off.  
I walked back into the room and shut the door, the Jack and Sally dolls in my hands, and stared at Mello.  
"What?!"  
"Jeeze, Mello, it's my friggin' birthday! Could you _/please_/ not give my other friend a death glare? I don't even hang out with him for more than a couple hours in a whole _/week/_, so I would like it if you try not to scare him away!"  
"Oh, what, is he going to replace me as your best friend now?! That's it, isn't it?! I'm always number two, even in my best friend's eyes! I'm so sick of this!" Mello yelled. He was always so dramatic. Which was probably why he was barely behind Near in rank.  
Matt's eyes widened as he stepped into a corner, trying to avoid what he guessed was a huge argument. It wasn't even Mello he was scared of the most. It was me. I always hated it when Mello questioned my loyalty like this.  
I set the dolls down on my side of the dresser, their legs dangling off of the side, and approached Mello with a furious expression.  
He slightly stepped back - but not by much - and glared at me.  
"Mello, how the fuck can you say that?!" I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled my face closer to his to make it even worse for him.  
"You know how I can say that! You're going to god-damn discard me and replace me with Near! Now let me fucking go!"  
"_/Mihael Keehl!_/" I yelled his true name out, clenching my fist.  
"Oh, shit..." Matt muttered to himself. He knew Mello had gone over the edge big time when I said his actual name, especially in this sort of situation.  
I let him go and pushed him backwards, and just glared at him, my face red from anger.  
"It's true, isn't it?! That's why you're not saying anything!"  
I balled my fist up, "Fuck you, Mihael," I murmured, loud enough for him to hear me, right before I punched him, right in the nose, sending him to the ground.  
"Shit!" Mello exclaimed, on the floor, holding his bleeding nose. Matt just stared, even more wide-eyed than he was earlier... If that was even possible.  
"I can't understand how you could say that, Mello..." I said in a voice just above a whisper, my head down.  
"You're my closest friend, and you'll always be just that, and nothing... No one could ever change that. Except maybe you. If you want to be replaced, just tell me. It'll be impossible, but at the least, I won't think of you as my best friend. Do you want it to be that way?" I lifted my head up, revealing my tear-brimmed eyes.  
Mello looked up at me, a apologetic and scared look plastered on his face. I never cried before. Not in front of anybody. Not even Mello. He realized just how far he had gone.  
"Mello... I don't want you to be like this... Please, just..." I shook my head and wiped the tears from my eyes as I turned and walked out the door without another word.

_/Some fucked up birthday this has been/._ I thought to myself as I sat beneath a large maple tree, my knees pulled up to my chest and my head tucked down.  
I felt a tap on my shoulder. It's strange how I didn't seem to notice the footsteps that approached me, especially since I sat under the tree with the most fallen dry leaves for that reason in mind... Oh well. I must have been to wrapped up in my own thoughts...  
"What," I said in a sharp, scratchy voice. _/I forgot how much my voice changes when I'm upset.../_  
"Look, I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to flip the fuck out like that. It's just... you know... Near's my enemy, and I tend to have... really bad anger issues..." Mello's voice whispered.  
_/Shit, dude, he's gotta mean it if he even admits to having anger problems with that giant ego of his... He really is sorry.../_  
I lifted my head up and looked at Mello, who sat down next to me.  
"I really am sorry..."  
I allowed my expression to lighten and a smile to form.  
"It's okay, Mello... Just please don't do that again?"  
He nodded.  
"Good!" I exclaimed, grinning, as I quickly stood up and extended a hand towards him. Pushing it away, He stood up on his own. It would have been quicker if he had just let me pull him up. But, like I said, he's got a big ego...


	5. Makeout Sessions and Gameboys

"When do you think they'll find out

"Hey, guys..." Matt mumbled to Mello and I.  
My face flushed as I yanked my hand away from Mello's and refused to even look at Matt.  
"Uh... We...Uh..." I couldn't spit out the words that I was looking for. Matt just found out our dirty little secret. -/- Fucker.  
It was the beginning of December, and Mello's fourteenth birthday was coming up. Not that that has anything to do with anything...  
"So. How long?"  
"A... A few months before my thirteenth birthday..." I said to my torn-up converses. I still didn't want to look at Matt.  
"That long?!"  
My neck snapped back to look up at him.  
"Shut up!" Mello and I yelled at the same time.  
Matt put his hands up in defense. "Sorry. I kinda had an idea about it, but I didn't want the shit beaten out of me..."  
"Fuck..." I mumbled as I went back to staring at my shoes.  
"You know... I think I'm gonna go back to my room and play my Gameboy... I'll… Leave you two alone now..." He said as he rushed out of our room.  
"He damn well better not tell anyone," I mumbled, yet again.  
"He won't. But why would it be a bad thing?"  
"They'd all bother us. You know that."  
He grabbed my hand and stared into my eyes.  
"I'd beat them all up if it would bother you so much," Mello whispered as his soft, thin lips brushed against mine.  
If I hadn't been sitting on the bed, I would have collapsed. His skin against mine always sent electric currents through my body and made me lose my senses. _I think I'm in love..._  
Mello slipped his tongue into my mouth and we fought for dominance. I couldn't help but grin.  
Mello pulled back and smiled at me. "What?"  
I giggled. "You taste like chocolate."  
"Is that a good thing?"  
"Very," I said quietly, leaning over to him to kiss him again. I wrapped my arms around his neck as his slid around my waist. My left hand quickly found its way to Mellos hair, gently combing through it and twiddling it around in my fingers.  
In response, Mello ran his hands up and down the length of my hips. _  
_"Mnh..." I let out a small, quiet moan into the kiss.  
_Damn him...  
_He always knew just how to... Well, you get the idea. I just hated the fact that we were only thirteen and living in a orphanage. But, it's not like there weren't others that weren't doing what we were. I swear, I'm not a whore!  
Mello stopped that and his hands slowly made their way up to my chest. _Fine. If he was going to play with me, I was going to do the same to him._  
As his hand groped my breast, (Did I mention I grew? _Again??_ Well, I did. I was a fucking D. Damn my bad luck. .) Mine went lower on him, to where it was resting on his upper leg, my thumb stroking his inner thigh... Do I really need to clue you in where it's close to? I didn't want to. It was just payback. /  
Now it was his turn to moan, and he pressed closer to me. I tried my hardest not to smile, and pulled my hand away.  
He pulled back from our kiss and stared at me.  
I smiled and shrugged. "Payback's a bitch, ain't it?"  
"Does that mean no more kissing?"  
My eyes widened, and I violently shook my head. "Fuck no."  
"Good," he said sternly as he pushed me down to lay on the bed and kissed me roughly, sitting on my chest.  
Really, I know this seems like more of a physical relationship to you, but I promise, we're connected on a spiritual level. Which is the only reason I like doing this. I swear. -/-  
_ Mmm, I love my feminine-looking boyfriend..._  
Isn't it strange how the male's on top of the female in this story?  
... If it were the other way around, I might crush poor Mello.  
I'm taller than him, and I have more muscles. I honestly don't see why he's not afraid of our relationship... .  
My fingers trailed back up to his gorgeous blond hair.


	6. Guyliner and Sweaters

"When do you think they'll find out

Warning: Very OOC. 

I examined my reflection in the mirror. I had on a tight black sweater that hung off my shoulders and tight black pants. If this wasn't what Mello had asked me for for Christmas, I wouldn't have worn it. Oh, well.  
I smiled as Mello put his arms around me.  
"You're one lucky bastard, you know that, right?" I smirked as I turned around to look him in the eye.  
"Hell yes I know that," he said as he gently kissed me on the lips.  
A couple of seconds into the kiss, my left leg started to rise. My heel lifted off the ground. My toes were barely touching the floor. Then, not at all.  
There was a knock on the door.  
"Hey, is it okay for me to come in?" Matt's voice barely registered in my mind, but I pulled away from Mello and opened the door.  
"Hey, Aron," Matt said as he walked into our room. His jaw dropped as he turned to look at me.  
"Holy shit I knew you had a nice body but I wasn't expecting you to dress like a actual girl and show it off... you know, ever."  
Mello stayed quiet.  
"Since when wouldn't you get a attitude towards Matt after he said something like that, Mello?"  
Mello just lowered his head and looked to the side.  
"Shit, dude! Are you wearing eyeliner?!" Matt exclaimed, staring at Mello, who jerked his head up and glared at Matt.  
I walked towards him and gave him a peck on the lips.  
"Hey, it's for Christmas. For him, I wore this. And for me, he put on eyeliner! 3"  
"Uh-huh..."  
"When you fall in love, Matt, You'll sacrifice a day or two and a bit of your ego just for her. Trust me," Mello said to him. I just grinned and kissed him once again.


	7. Sad Goodbyes

"When do you think they'll find out

"Mello? What happened?!" I asked, slightly fearful, as Mello yanked out his suitcase and started throwing some of his clothes into it.  
"I can't tell you," Mello said in a harsh tone. I grabbed his arm tightly.  
"Tell me."  
"No."  
"Fucking tell me, Mello!"  
He whipped around to look at me, forcing me to let go of his arm. The look in his eyes sent chills down my spine.  
"Fine! L is dead!" He exclaimed in a hushed tone, before whipping back around, resuming packing.  
My eyes grew wide, and I felt my legs shaking.  
_Shit... No. That can't be right! L is... was... The smartest guy I kno-... knew... Kira... Kira killed him!!_  
I snapped back to reality as Mello's suitcase slammed.  
"Mello..."  
"Don't say it. I'm _not _working with Near. Not now, not ever," he turned back to face me.  
I stared at my shoes as I tried to blink back forming tears.  
_Damn it, I hate crying!  
_I let my tears fall freely as Mello wrapped his arms around me reassuringly. As I hugged him back, I inhaled his scent and tried to push the thought that I may never see him again to the back of my mind.  
"Mello..."  
"Don't worry. I won't get myself killed if that's what you're thinking."  
Mello pulled away from the hug, and grabbed his suitcase. "I know you want to help, but," he paused, staring out the window, "I don't want you to get hurt or anything."  
"I can ta-"  
"No, you can't take care of yourself! That's just it! It doesn't matter how strong you are, or what weapon you have. Kira can kill you with just a snap of a finger," He stopped walking when he reached the doorway. We both knew what was coming.  
"I guess..."  
"Yeah. I know. 'Till whenever, right?"  
"Yeah," Mello said in a cold tone as he walked away, not bothering to look back at me.


	8. Memories

"When do you think they'll find out

_We were all laughing loudly as we sat safely behind the upturned cafeteria table. L in the middle, Near on his left, Mello on his right, and a cake-and-pudding covered nine-year-old me sitting on my knees, peeking over the table, next to Mello. Even Near was laughing slightly. As I threw another handful of vanilla at the outside crowd, a slice of cake his me right in the face, and splattered on Mello as well.  
I fell over laughing harder, wiping the cake off of my face. Not that it mattered anyway.  
"Ew! You're dirtier that the three of us combined!"  
I crawled over to L at stared at him intently.  
"What?"  
I broke out in a grin before violently shaking my head, covering L in the same food that coated me.  
"Oh, you're not getting away with that!" He exclaimed, also grinning. As he stood up to grab some more food to throw at me, a glob of macaroni and cheese hit him in the chest. A look of horror crossed his face. By now, I was laughing so hard that I wasn't even making a sound, and my stomach was in knots.  
After that epidemic (Hey, I could hardly breathe!) I noticed Near was the only one who wasn't completely covered in food. Trying my hardest not to look suspicious, I ran my fingers through my hair, getting as much 'food' as I could, and quickly tossed the pile into Nears face.  
"Gah!"_

I failed to realize, then, was the only time Mello wasn't trying to compete with Near. We were, unknowingly, just like a family.


	9. Comfort from Near

"When do you think they'll find out

I let another tear slip as I ran to Nears room. Without caring, I thrust open his door, only to see him sitting on the floor, playing with a plain puzzle.  
"You're not going too, are you?" I asked, my voice cracking. I made a attempt to close the door, but ended up slamming it.  
Near just shook his head no and stood up, walking towards me.  
I shakily took a step forward into Nears outstretched arms. In a strange way, his awkward hug was sort of comforting. But nothing could help me now.  
I wrapped my arms around Nears scrawny neck and cried silently. Nears thin fingers were gently placed on the small of my back, as if he was afraid I was going to break. In that moment, that's what I was thinking, also. I felt as if i was going to just shatter into a million pieces right there, in the center of the room, leaving poor Near to dispose of my jagged remains. I didn't feel real. Reality seemed to be slipping away from me. Like a bad soap opera. Or maybe that stupid American Ashton Kutcher was going to jump out and yell "You just got Punk'd!" then run behind a laughing Mello to escape my fury.  
I pulled away from the hug and met Nears gaze, wiping the tears from my eyes. (Though, of course, they still kept coming.) It was on a very rare occasion Near showed his emotions, but I suppose this would have been one of them. His eyes showed a slight bit of sorrow.  
"Mello told you everything we just were told, right?"  
I nodded my head and sat down on his bed.  
"Of course," he said as he handed me a box of tissues that had been sitting of his dresser.  
As I grabbed a single tissue and balled it up to wipe away the tears that were coating my face, Nears eyes focused on his left shoulder. "You got my shoulder soaked..." he said in his usual monotone voice.  
I gave a slight laugh and sent a soft smile towards him. "Then change. Braniac."  
"I was going to..." he mumbled, unbuttoning his shirt slowly.  
"Oh my God, you loser. Don't over think the fact that I'm a chick. Just friggin' change. Besides, you're like, eleven. Even if you have hit puberty, you don't have to worry about me thinking anything, y'know," I said with a grin.  
Near blinked and went back to unbuttoning his shirt (a bit faster) and I stared at the ceiling.  
After a moment of nothing but the sounds of Near dragging his feet across the floor to get another shirt, I sighed loudly and grimaced.  
"I still can't believe it, though. I mean, I do, but I don't want it to be true. I mean, L is dead, and Mello, being the pompous ass that he is, stormed off and didn't even consider working with you. But..." I lifted my head up and stared out the window, "that's life, I suppose. I mean, It's not necessarily natural, I guess, but... It's still real. Doesn't feel like it, though. Ugh. I'm talking too much," I said as tears came back to my eyes.  
Near sat next to me and stared at me intently. "Stop crying. L's death will be avenged."  
I nodded and leaned my head against his shoulder.


	10. Sleeping with an Albino

"When do you think they'll find out

I groggily opened my eyes to see a mop of white hair, illuminated by a full moon outside the window.  
_Huh, I don't remember falling asleep. Especially not in Nears bed..._  
Looking to the dimly lit alarm clock by the bedside table, I was safe to say it was around one in the morning. I decided not to get up and go back to my room. I didn't want to wake the small pale boy that was curled against me - who knows how much sleep he actually gets - plus, I knew that once I walked into the empty room with the empty closet and dresser, I would break down and cry. Which was what I was fighting to keep myself from doing in that same instant.  
Under the white covers of Nears bed, I allowed my hand to slowly make its way up to his without a sound. Nears thumb subconsciously overlapped mine, and I smiled softly at the sleeping boy.  
/_Yeah... It'll hurt for a while, but things should be okay.../_

Nudge.  
"Go away, Mello."  
_Nudge.  
"_I said fuck off."_  
Shake._  
My eyes shot open and I jumped up.  
"I _said_, sto-" my breath hitched in my throat when I saw Near staring at me, my memory flooding back to me.  
"Oh... right. Sorry about last night, Near." I let my gaze drift out the window.  
"It's okay. You have classes in about an hour, right?"  
Silence.  
"Shit!" I jumped up and headed for the door, stumbling once. "SorryNeargottago!" I yelled quickly, running out the door, leaving Near to stare blankly after me.


	11. Eighteen

"When do you think they'll find out

I gently knocked on the door of the main office.  
"Come in," Roger's voice came from inside the room, muffled by the large oak doors.  
Entering, I smiled meekly at the old man.  
"Oh, good morning, Aron," he said, not bothering to hide the tone in his voice that told me he knew what I was going to say.  
"Um... Roger, would it be alright if I... Left? I mean, I'm eighteen, and you _know_ I've been saving up my chore money and my money from my part-time job, so I already have enough to buy a plane ticket, a car, and maybe rent out a cheap apartment or a hotel room for a while."  
He smiled approvingly and nodded his head.  
"You're a smart girl, Aron, and you're more than ready to leave here. I suppose you would like to have all of your documents?"  
I nodded quickly. "Yes sir. Incase I get involved in anything, I'd like to keep the documents for myself and shift through them, destroying what I won't need. If... that's alright, I mean."  
"Of course. Tell me when you would like to leave, and I'll have them out by then."  
"Well, I already have planned where I want to go, and I went ahead and checked the nearest airport's schedule to Los Angeles, California, and the next flight's in about two hours."  
"Do you think you can pack your things that quickly?"  
I gave a half-hearted laugh. "Do I even _have_ that many things?"  
Roger smiled. "Then I'll get the documents quickly, then."  
"Thank you, Roger!" I grinned as I ran out the office to go pack my bags.

_  
_ "I'll see you whenever, Near. And I seriously mean that. I'm not gonna just walk away. Y'know?" I smiled at the ghost-like fourteen-year-old hunched over a puzzle, looking at me.  
"Maybe you won't be able to find me," he said in a matter-of-factly sort of voice.  
I chuckled. "Maybe you're right. But still. You can't say I won't try... So, later," I said, ruffling his thick, curly hair and running off to Roger's office.  
_At least I only had enough crap to fill one suitcase..._ I thought to myself as I entered Roger's office.  
Yup. What were they? Oh, yeah. underwear, a couple pairs of ripped jeans, a few band t-shirts, about three jerseys, a pair of skater shorts, and some personal items like what the guys got me for my birthdays.  
I smiled as Roger motioned towards a small traveling case.  
"I went ahead and put your things in there, so it would be easier for you to take them on the airplane. Also, we paid for your ride there."  
Grinning, I gave a slight bow towards Roger. "You have no idea what this means to me. Thanks."  
He smiled back. "Well, you are legally an adult."  
"Yeah. Well, thanks, man," I said, grabbing the small bag and heading out the orphanage for good.


	12. Broken Skateboards, Twisted Stomachs

"When do you think they'll find out

I yelped and jumped out of the way of a motorcycle that ran right in front of me.  
"Hey! Fuckin' watch it! The sign says walk, man! **WALK**!"  
"Damn... You almost got hit by that guy," my friend for three years, Doug, said.  
"Son of a bitch. Ran over my board, too! Damn it. Took me a year to get all those stickers on the bottom, and I just got them perfect. Now my board's dead. Fuckin' a. I'll kill him."  
Doug just laughed and handed me his board.  
"You sure he's even a guy? I mean, he's skinny and had that girlie blond hair!"  
I shook my head.  
"Hypocrite. You're skinny and have long hair!" I shoved his board back at him and lightly punched him in the arm.  
"Yeah, but it's not that freaky blond color."  
"Oh, no! 'Cause long hair with no split ends is SO manly," I said, rolling my eyes and picking up the remains of my skateboard.  
He just scoffed and yanked the overstretched elastic band out of my hair that was, currently, just barely long enough to hold in any measly excuse for a ponytail.  
"Shit... Well, that means no skate park for me. You hungry? I could seriously go for a bag of chips from the convenience store right now..."  
Doug shook his head. "Nah. Look, I'm going to go meet with the guys anyway, okay?"  
"Yeah yeah yeah. Whatever. I'll see you at work tomorrow?"  
He nodded, and I headed towards Kurt's, the convenience store just a couple of blocks from where we were.

"Why don't you ever eat chocolate? You'll eat anything else, but you'll go out of your way just to avoid anything that even resembles the shit," a man in his thirties mumbled as he pushed back his wavy, dirty blond hair and rubbed his blond stubble of a beard.  
"Why do you insist on keeping that /thing/ on your face? You look like a cover for a grunge album cover," I replied, curling my lip at his measly beard.  
"My ex liked it," he shrugged and handed me the small bag of Cheeto's and the can of Rockstar energy drink.  
"Exactly," I cocked my eyebrow at him and pulled out a wad of money from my back pocket, laying it on the counter.  
"You dated? And he didn't like chocolate? What the fuck," the man shook his head and sorted out the money.  
"Yeah... But he did like chocolate, though. Too much."  
"Do you really hate him that much?" he handed me my change, and I leaned against the counter.  
"No. I couldn't hate him, even if I wanted to. It's just that he up and left, and I was really emo about the shit, and I don't _ever_ want to be that fucked up again."  
"What the hell does all this have to do with you not eating chocolate?"  
I laughed and shook my head. "I knew you'd say that. It's like... my theory about Mikey Way and coffee."  
"... Your boyfriend tasted like chocolate?"  
I sighed. "Can we change the subject? Seriously."  
"Yeah yeah. So... What happened to you board?" his eyes rested on the broken piece of wood in the trashcan next to the door.  
"Oh, you wouldn't _believe_ the shit! Me and Doug were crossing the road when some skinny blond asshole on a motorcycle ran the fucking light and almost hit me! I barely had time to jump out of the way, and he just ran over my board! Didn't even do anything about it, either. Just kept on going like nothing happened! God, Kurt, I seriously wanted to beat the crap outta him. Man, if I _ever_ see that fairy again, I'll give him a piece of my mind," I said quietly after hearing someone entering the store.  
"I think you might actually have that opportunity," Kurt said, nodding his head towards someone behind me.  
Turning around, I came face-to-face with the leather-clad blonde, whose arms were full of chocolate bars. The bag of Cheetos fell from my hand as my stomach twisted into a knot.


End file.
